Jiang Chen was taken aback for a moment.
He followed the voice and saw a handsome young man in luxurious clothing walking out of Lingyun Martial Academy.
Lin Yang?
Jiang Chen was no stranger to this young man. Lin Yang was a direct disciple of the Lin family, one of the three major families in Cangshan City.
Like Jiang Chen, Lin Yang was also well-known as the most prominent young master of his family. Because of this, the two had never seen eye-to-eye, and clashes between them were frequent.
However, Lin Yang had one significant advantage—his elder brother was a recognized genius.
In Lingyun Martial Academy, students who made it onto the Inner Academy's Lingyun List earned the privilege to recommend one person to join the academy for free.
This privilege was how Lin Yang had secured his place at the academy.
Jiang Chen glanced at Lin Yang briefly and walked past him without a word.
In the past, Jiang Chen might have felt the need to compete with Lin Yang.
But now, with the hundredfold cultivation system, Jiang Chen had surpassed his former self. He no longer considered Lin Yang worth his attention.
"Jiang Chen! Stop right there!"
Lin Yang's face darkened when he saw Jiang Chen ignoring him.
He shouted angrily and stepped in front of Jiang Chen, blocking his path.
"Lin Yang, you only got into Lingyun Martial Academy because of your brother. Don't flaunt your so-called superiority in front of me."
Jiang Chen's eyes were cold as he stared at Lin Yang.
"Step aside. I'm not interested in wasting my time with you."
"Jiang Chen, do you think I'm still the same person I was before?"
Lin Yang sneered, his eyes flashing with arrogance.
Since his brother Lin Yu had made it onto the Inner Academy's Lingyun List six months ago, Lin Yang had been training at Lingyun Martial Academy.
Despite his mediocre talent, with his brother's help, he had advanced from the Body Tempering Second Stage to the Fourth Stage.
Seeing Jiang Chen's indifference infuriated Lin Yang.
The confrontation between the two quickly drew the attention of several Lingyun Martial Academy students, who gathered around to watch the spectacle.
"Isn't that Lin Yang? He's bullying someone again."
"Well, he does have a powerful brother. How many people here would dare stand up to him?"
"Who's the other guy? He must be clueless to go against Lin Yang."
"That's Jiang Chen from Cangshan City, just like Lin Yang. He's a so-called 'waste,' stuck at the Body Tempering Second Stage. Rumor has it his father went to great lengths to get him into the academy."
"Tsk, I've heard about this 'waste' too. How does he even have the courage to confront Lin Yang? He's asking for trouble."
"Exactly! Not only does Lin Yang have his brother backing him, but he's also at the Body Tempering Fourth Stage. Beating a 'waste' at the Second Stage will be effortless."
As the whispers echoed around them, a smug grin spread across Lin Yang's face.
"Jiang Chen, you're just a Body Tempering Second Stage weakling. How dare you act so arrogantly in front of me?"
Lin Yang's voice dripped with mockery.
"If you know what's good for you, kneel down and beg for mercy. Maybe then I'll let you off."
"Otherwise, I'll beat you so badly, even your own mother won't recognize you!"
Before entering Lingyun Martial Academy, Jiang Chen had embarrassed Lin Yang publicly more than once.
Now that he had the upper hand, Lin Yang was eager for revenge.
"I don't believe you will."
Jiang Chen's voice was calm, his expression unchanging.
"If you want to fight, go ahead. But I promise you this—the one who'll be beaten beyond recognition won't be me."